Ragnar Relay Race

I'm told that this happened at about 4:30 a.m.:

Henderson Police say 25-year-old Joshua Salayich is facing several charges including, DUI with death, leaving the scene of an accident and resisting an officer. Police say Salayich hit and killed a 33-year-old Jeremy Kunz from Utah.
Kunz was among 2,400 runners in the Ragnar Relay Las Vegas Race. He was struck by Salayich and killed early Saturday morning, relay officials confirmed in a statement released Sunday.
The accident occurred at the intersection of Stephanie and Horizon Ridge Parkway in Henderson. Police and rescue vehicles responded immediately. Ragnar Relay co-founder Dan Hill said, "Our deepest sympathy goes out to the runner's family."
"We appreciate the rapid response from Las Vegas authorities and ask that all our runners keep the family in their thoughts and prayers," said Hill.
Amy Brewster was part of a team also participating in the race. "We were all just having a good time and then you hear this and the first thing is the shock and horror," she said.
According to authorities, Kunz was standing on the side of the road early Saturday when Salayich alleged hit and killed him before overturning his vehicle. "Once the car came to rest, the driver fled the scene. Luckily police were able to catch him about a half a mile from the scene of the accident," said Keith Paul with Henderson Police Department.
News of Kunz's death spread quickly for runners across the area, including local running shops. Like others, they're left stunned and offer advice to other runners. "Make sure that you wear a light, preferably a red or yellow flashing light, and be very aware," said John Griffin with Village Runner.
Police say alcohol wasn't the only factor in this accident. They say the driver was also speeding, but it's still unclear just how fast he was going.

On another note, we DID have that huge storm, no power at my house all day until the evening on Tuesday! I'll leave the sad gutter story alone for now. :(

And I DID finish the weaving with the 20/2 yarn! I'm still working on my book, I am reading "The Remains of the Day" another great book by Kazuo Ishiguro

Goodbye Cruel World

Is it just our newcasters or is it the same everywhere? Big storm, big storm coming our way, sandbags; 10 per home limited, PG & E cutting tree limbs hoping to avoid power outages, winds at 40-60 mph coming our way. OK, they got my attention, the matches are located, the candles are handy, flashlights ready.

I've got plenty of books, lots of weaving to do and the kiln was fired today so I got that done. Laundry is in right now washing away. If nothing comes of it, well, that's ok too but this Boy Scout is kind of ready.

Our house is one of the last ones to ever get the power back because Nobody Understands. My post titled What a Dump http://imakefish.blogspot.com/2007/08/what-dump.html shows the photo of our tv/telephone and power line. It serves only 2 houses.

So, here is a pic of the weaving still on the loom. I'm still practicing with the fine 20/2 yarn. I don't think I want to use it for the jacket I want to make; it is TOO thin. My slevedges are improving I think, I see that same spot is pulling too much, there are some threads caught in the "spokes" things...grrr! Next I may make some small guest towels for the bathroom while I work on planning the jacket.

Las Vegas Ragnar Race

I told my daughter I'd keep her close to my heart tomorrow. If anyone else that isn't busy for a few minutes I hope you'll do the same! She amazes me more the older she gets, I am amazed at her wisdom and love and her smarts and NOW her intestinal fortitude! At age 40 she began doing short triathalons after sitting behind a desk or on the couch for all her life. Now she will be doing a Ragnar Relay Race tomorrow. OMG is all I can say. Lots of people do these but not my child. I am very happy for her and hope the race is a lot of fun. I don't "get it"; the race is dubbed Cereal Killers and they dress up goofy like breakfast cereal, don't ask me how, I don't get it. What I do "get" is that this race is a relay, thank goodness and it is 180 miles.

It was going to be really a great pot; it's ok but not what I was aiming for. I'll spare it the hammer-fate since it has its ok points...

How Now Brown Cow?

Never knew what that meant but we used to like saying it when we didn't know what else to say. Well, maybe I'm the only one but, "How Now?"

More from the kiln!

Photographing My Stuff

When I took watercolor classes the instructor had a Polaroid camera ready and she photographed work as it progressed and studied it. That was a looooong time ago, then a few years ago I read "The Girl With The Pearl Earring" and guess what? Not a new trick at all, I was so surprised!

What I'm saying is that I see where I can progress and change and grow with the ceremonial/ritual vessels (ahem) by studying them in the previous blog post. It's different than looking at them on the computer, they are sort of...in a place, well, see, I can't explain. It just helps.

Everything is bisque fired, time to make a new batch and I have some "new and improved vessels" I hope!

The vessels on this post are Native American and beautiful, my aim is not to try to recreate the authentic but to create my own sort of fantasy artifact pieces that fit into a modern life. Is that it? Well, whatever it is, it is!! I can't figure myself out sometimes but that's ok too.

A Different Direction

Just because I want to try it all!

After seeing some ceremonial-ritual/artifact looking pottery....well, I had to give it a try.It's not exactly "Is it real or is it Memorex" but I'm having a good time with the process. Feedback welcome; I'm all alone in pottery land and it's getting cold out here.

This guy was not a favorite but upon completion I think he looks very sweet in a r2d2 kind of way. If I named my pots or "vessels" (does that sound snooty?) this one would be r2d2. Maybe it would hold holy water for babies under the age of 2.

On the loom I am practicing with very fine yarn 20/2 warp. I was expecting a lot more trouble than I had. I'm using some 10/2 and 5/2 for weft. I keep forgetting that mixing the weights of the weft makes the piece go narrow, bigger, narrow, bigger. Oh well, it's still teatowels....